Plan for CapriLandmark area too ambitious, councillors say
$100-million price tag, transportation corridor among concerns raised
Several Kelowna city councillors raised concerns of the cost of redevelopment of the Capri-Landmark town centre, while Mayor Colin Basran praised the plan.
Coun. Luke Stack said he supports most of the plan, but is concerned about the proposed $100-million price tag.
“What I’m concerned about is the overall price tag may be so high that it may not come to fruition within a reasonable about of time,” said Stack, who was the lone vote against the plan at Monday’s council meeting. “This is a $100-million challenge in 22 years. I just don’t have the confidence we can pull it off.”
Coun. Gail Given said she was concerned about a planned transportation corridor running through current commercial buildings.
“If we could rub the magic ball and plop it in there, it would be fabulous,” she said. “There are some significant commercial properties that will have to be acquired to actually build that corridor, and do we risk nothing happening for a very long time if we can’t acquire that corridor?”
The plan includes realigning Sutherland Avenue, creating an east-west street linking Burtch Road to Spall Road, developing new community parks, establishing Dickson Avenue as a main street with commercial development, developing a pedestrian path along Ritchie Brook and creating a transportation network.
Coun. Tracy Gray also raised concerns about the cost of the transportation plan.
“I think what we’ve got here with the transportation plan is the best-case scenario, however when I look at the price tag . . . we’ll have to seriously consider if the positives outweigh the costs,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to set this up to fail and have this take 50 years to implement.”
Gray added she may prefer to see a phased approach.
After several councillors raised concerns, Basran spoke in favour of the plan.
“Call me a dreamer,” he said. “I love this plan.”
Basran said the plan brings much-needed density and mixeduse to the city.
“It increases the connectivity of our neighbourhoods, which we all appreciate; it promotes alternative modes of transportation and people moving, parks and communal space,” said Basran. “I’m really excited about this.”
Staff will bring the plan to council in the spring for final approval.